RC Bangalore, D 3190, created history of sorts this February by chartering a Rotary club which is exclusively for the differently-abled.

RC Bangalore President Zarir Batha said the 20-member club “has been in the making for more than eight months, and it is a day of great joy for us as we usher in this unique club.”

Addressing the new club — Rotary Bangalore Abilities — Batha said all the 20 members of the newly chartered club were “really special people. And if there is a word called courage, you exemplify it through your personal lives. Notwithstanding the challenges you face, you have decided to join the battle for doing good in the world. You have come together not only to help people with disabilities but also all needy persons who require your help.”

Notwithstanding the challenges you face, you have decided to join the battle for doing good in the world. You have come together not only to help people with disabilities but also all needy persons who require your help.

He added that his club, which had seen illustrious presidents like Homi Bhaba and PRID Panduranga Setty, had pledged to lend all support to the newly formed club to make it both vibrant and successful.

President of the new club, Justin Philips, who is the Editor of a braille magazine called Insight, said even as their new journey began, “we commit ourselves to following the culture and ethos of the Rotary movement. I pledge to uphold and follow the rules laid down by RI. I also pledge to abide by the 4-Way Test.” A talented musician, the visually-challenged Philips gives lessons in playing the guitar and the keyboard; is a transcriptionist for market research companies and teaches English to global students using email and WhatsApp. Secretary of the club, Pradeep K, is also partially blind and is a software professional; and the treasurer, Sravani ­Ramachandran, a paraplegic due to an accident, is a financial analyst with the IBM.

RC Bangalore Abilities plans to take up four major projects: a campaign to sensitise the government and owners of small malls to make their facilities more disabled-friendly; a job fair for the differently-abled; a rural school for children with disabilities and sponsoring braille screen readers, each costing about ₹ 25,000.